Sucker machine



June 25, 1935. J A s E AL 2,005,854

SUCKER MACHINE Original Filed'Oct. 16, 1933 9 Sheets-Sheet l Fay; :1

m I U m June 25, 1935. A, pAv s ET AL 2,005,854

SUCKER MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 16, 1935 9 Sheets-Sheet we gzzw:

Ju ne 25, 1935 J. DAVls r AL 2,005,854

SUCKER MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 16, 1933 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 June 25, 1935. J. A. DAVIS El" AL 2,005,854

SUCKER MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 16, 1933 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 J68. I r 166 H 1 M6.

{I 1517 I 5 3 1% I In; [51 7 15 1 1 H I I 251 152 I I W h. ZZZ v i Uzzzgzag M7 755 12.55 I W fizz/e2 1257 Lfai/l fl Davis June 25, 1935. DAVls 1- AL 2,005,854

SUCKER MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 16, 1955 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 June 25, 1935, DAVls ET AL 2,005,854

SUCKER MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 16, 1953 9' Sheets-Sheet 6 June 25, 1935. J. A. DAVIS EFAL 2,005,854

, SUCKER MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 16, 1953 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 J. A. DAVIS ET AL SUCKER MACHINE June 25, 1935.

Original Filed Oct 16, 1933 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 June 25, 1935. J DAV|5 ET AL 2,005,854

SUCKER MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 16, 1953 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 v 2% mi. Y 1\ ctr e5 ggelz" Patented June 25, 1935 PATENT OFFICE.

SUCKER MACHINE James A. Davis and Charles L. Moyer, Chicago,

Ill., assignors, by direct and mesne assignments, to Parker-Meyer-Dennis Company, Dubuque, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Application October 16, 1933, Serial No. 693,713

Renewed February 7, 1934 35 Claims.

This invention relates to a confection making machine, and has for a general object, the provision of a novel and an improved machine for making such confections as suckers or lollipops.

The sucker machine of the invention is adapted to form a confection in the semi-plastic state into pieces of the desired size and shape, and to attach a handle in or to each piece of the soft, semi-plastic confection, to serve as a handle adapted to support the confection in an upright position.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel sucker machine adapted to preform a soft, semi-plastic confection into pieces of substantially the desired size and shape, and to provide in such pieces a handle receiving recess to facilitate connecting a handle thereto.

A further object of the invention is the provision in such a sucker machine of handle supply means capable of feeding a flexible handle to such preformed pieces of the semi-plastic confection for connection therewith.

Another object of the invention is the provision in such a novel sucker machine of handle feeding means adapted to flex or to loop the handle material before it is connected with the preformed pieces of semi-plastic confection.

Additional objects of the invention include the provision of certain novel elements and combinations thereof in a semi-automatic sucker machine for obtaining a flexible handle material from a source of supply, cutting it into handle lengths, and preparing the handle lengths for attachment in or to a confection; in timed relation with the foregoing'handle preparing opera- 7 tions, for forming the confection into pieces of substantially the desired size and shape and preparing each piece of confection to receive a handle length; for feeding the handle lengths to the pieces of confection and attaching each handle length in or to a piece of confection to provide safety suckers or lollipops; and for removing the safety suckers or lollipops from the machine.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and from the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings;'

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a novel sucker machine embodyingythe features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the machine shown in Fig. 1; v

1 asuit Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are fragmentary elevations showing certain assembly and construction detailsof the feeding apparatus employed in the novel sucker machine of the invention to handle the flexible material used to make handles for suckers;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view showing the apparatus employed for preparing and presenting the handle lengths of the handle material for attachment in or to the pieces of confection;

Fig. 7 is an elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 6, partially broken away to bring out certain details of construction and operation;

Fig. 8 is a partially assembled view in elevation of the apparatus shown in Figs. 6 and 7, with certain portions thereof shown in section to bring out the operation-of preparing the handle lengths for attaching them to pieces of the confection;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section taken substantially along the lines 9-9 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary cross-section taken substantially along the lines Ill-l0 of Fig.9;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary cross-section taken substantially along the lines ll-ll of Fig. 9;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged perspective detail of the device shown in Figs. 6 to 9;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentaryperspective view of a portion of the apparatus shown in Figs. 6 to 9,

inclusive; 4

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary plan view of the apparatus for preparing the confection to be attached to the handles;

Fig. 15 is an elevational view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 14, in another operative position;

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary cross-section taken substantially along the lines l6--l6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary sectional elevation taken substantially along the lines ll-l'l' of Fig. 15;

Figs. 18 and 19 are fragmentary cross-sections taken substantially along the lines X-X of Fig. 15, showing in different operative positions the apparatus for preparing the confection for attachment-to the handle material; and

Figs. 20 to 29, inclusive, are diagrammatic details illustrative of the operation of the novel sucker machine.

In order to accomplishthe foregoing objects, le frame or supporting means is provided, and a bled thereon in operative relationship are confection handling means and handle supply means. The latter means is adapted to supply or to feed handles at the proper intervals to theconfection handlingmeans for connection with pieces of the confection to form lollipops or suckers, whereupon the handle supply means 00- operating with the confection handling means, strips or ejects the suckers from the machine.

A frame structure that has been found suitable for supporting the confection handling and the handle supply means, is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2- as comprising a top or supporting base. A provided with depending legs or standards B for supporting the base A at a convenient height. On this top or supporting base A are suitably mounted a. pair of drive shaft bearing brackets C, a. pair of mold shaft bearing brackets D, another pair of mold shaft bearing brackets E, and a plurality of other supporting brackets F to 0 inclusive, for facilitating the assembly and mounting of the various candy handling and handle supply mechanisms of the machine.

A main drive shaft S is journaled in bearings carried in the. drive shaft bearing brackets C and is supported intermediate its ends in the bracket F. This drive shaft has fixed thereon a beveled gear T at the bracket F, a disc V with an eccentric or cam groove X, and a pinion gear Y, and is adapted to be driven by any suitable means such as that diagrammatically illustrated at Z.

The handle supply means and the candy handling means are suitably coupled or geared to be driven from the drive shaft S by means of the beveled gear T, the eccentrically grooved disc V, and the pinion Y.

The confection handling means may best be understood by reference to Figs. 1, 2, and 14 to 19.

Briefly, the confection handling means of the novel sucker machine comprises preforming means for forming a semi-plastic confection R into pieces P of substantially the final size and shape, punching means for forming a handle receiving recess W in each semi-plastic piece of confection, the punching means cooperating with the preforming means to remove the punched pieces of confection from the preforming means, and forming means for forming each piece of confection to the desired size and shape after the handle has been inserted into the handle receiving recess wherebyeach piece of confection is conformed about a portion of a handle.

In order to preform the confection, a batch thereof in the semi-plastic state is supplied from a feeding trough or guide 3 I, mounted on the base A by a pair of standards 32 and a pair of braces or brackets 33, to a pair of tangentially arranged moldingior preforming rolls 34 and 35 having complementary forming recesses or depressions 36 and 31 in the peripheral walls thereof. The roll 34 is fixed on and rotates with a shaft 38 ournaled at each end in bearings carried in the mold shaft bearing brackets D, and the roll 35 isfixed on and rotates with a shaft 39 journaled at each end in bearings also carried in the mold shaft bearing brackets D.

Each recess 36 and 31 is provided at its inner end with a slot 4| extending to the edge of the peripheral wall of the roller to receive the punching means for forming a handle receiving recess. In such a punching operation a certain volume of confection is displaced. To accommodate this displaced confection each recess 31 in the roll a 35 is provided with a depression 42 for receiving from the meshes with a gear 46 fixed on and driving the shaft 38, whereby to rotate the roll 34 and a gear 41 fixed on the shaft 38. The gear 41 rotated as just described enmeshes with a gear 48 fixed on the shaft 39 to drive this shaft and the roll 35 thereon.

As these rolls 34 and 35 are thus rotated, the semi-plastic confection R is supplied to the rolls from the trough 3|, and the recesses 36 and 31 form the confection into pieces of substantially the desired size and shape. As each piece of the confection is formed at the meeting or tangent point of the-rolls 34 and 35, it is prepared to receive a handle and is thereafter stripped from the upper roll 35 by means of a longitudinally reciprocable punch 49 adapted to rock arcuately about the shaft 38 while the punch in a forward position extends through the aperture formed by the complementary slots 4| into the confection in the mold recesses; The details of this plunger are shown in Figs. 14-19.

The plunger 49 is slidably supported adjacent the rolls 34 and 35 in a guiding passage 5| in an elongated head 52 at theupper end of an arm 53 loosely fitting and rockable on the shaft 38. The arm 53 is fixed against movement longitudinally of the shaft 38 by means of a pair of collars 54 arranged on the shaft at opposite sides of the arm. It will be observed that when so supported the plunger is the same distance from the shaft 38 as the aperture formed by the complementary slots so that the plunger may be inserted through the complementary slots into a confection in the molds and withdrawn therefrom to form a handle receiving recess W in the confection. Said reciprocation of the plunger to form handle receiving recesses is accomplished by a mechanism which will now be described.

The rear end of the plunger is provided with a pair of spaced depending lugs or projections 55. A bracket secured as at 56 to a slidable bar 51 in aslot or groove 58 of the bracketH, has an upstanding arm 59 provided with an arcuate segment 6|, between the lugs 55, extending transversely of the plunger 49. This bracket and the lugs 55 serve to connect the plunger with the slidable bar 51 for reciprocating the plunger longitudinally into and out of the complementary slots 4|. The lugs 55 are slidable against the opposite faces of the arcuate segment 6|, thereby permitting the plunger to rock with the arm 53 about the shaft 38.

In order to reciprocate the plunger 49 to form the handle receiving recesses W in the pieces of the confection, the slidable bar 51 is provided at its end extending outside the groove 58 with a roller or cam follower 62 actuated by a cam slot or eccentric 63 in a disc 64 to reciprocate the. slidable bar 51 and hence the plunger 49 connected thereto, the disc 64 being fixed on and rotatable with a shaft 65 journaled at opposite ends in thebrackets F and G. This shaft is driven by beveled gear T from the shaft S through a beveled gear 66 on the shaft 65 enmeshing with the beveled gear T.

The eccentric groove63 is of such shape that when it has moved the plunger forward through the slots 4| into a piece of confection, there is a dwell for the follower 62. This dwell causes the plunger to remain in a forward position engaging in the confection until after the rolls 34 and 35 have preformed the piece of confection and while the plunger is being rocked about the shaft 38. This is for the purpose of strippingthe piece of confection from the upper roll 35 and causing it to remain in the recess or depression 36 in the lower roll 34, and for the further purpose of giving the semi-plastic confection sufficient time to set about the recess W formed by the plunger instead of flowing back and closing it.

In order to cause such following of the confection in the lower roll 34 by the plunger 49 in its forward position, an arm 61 is suitably secured as at 68 at one end to the arm 53 and is bifurcated at its opposite end to engage the shaft S for sliding support transversely of theshaft. Intermediate the ends of this arm 61, a cam follower or roller 69 is secured to ride in the eccentric slot X of the disc V on the shaft S, the cam follower 69 being held in engagement in the slot X by a collar H on the shaft S preventing displacement of the bifurcated arm 61 in a directionaway from the disc V.

When a piece of confection has thus been preformed and provided with a handle receiving recess, it is ready to be attached to a handle. Means to be described presently are provided for inserting a handle of suitable design and shape into each handle receiving recess in the pieces of confection before the lower roll 34 in cooperation with a third roll 12 has finally formed each piece of confection to the desired size and shape and pressed the confection about the portion of the handle in the handle receiving recess.

This third roll 12 is fixed on and is rotatable with a shaft 13 journaled in the bearing brackets E, the shaft 13, carrying the roll 72, being driven by a gear '14 enmeshing with the driven gear 41 on the shaft 38. The roll 12 has a plurality of forming or molding recesses 15 provided with slots 16 for cooperating with the slots 4| on the roll 34 to accommodate the handles.

It will be observed that the roll 12 is tangent to the roll 34 substantially along a line more than from the line of tangency between the rolls 34 and 35, it being contemplated that the handle be inserted into the handle receiving recess of the confection while it is on roll 34 at a point substantially 90 removed from the line of tangency between the rolls 34 and 35 and before the roll 12 in coaction with the roll 34 presses the confection to cause it to adhere to the handle.

After the roll 12 has pressed the pieces of con fection to cause adherence thereof about the handles, the suckers thus formed may be deposited through an aperture 11 in the base A on a suitable conveyor 18 for removing the suckers from the machine.

While the confection handling means already;

described may advantageously be associated with various means for supplying handles of any suitable material, the preforming and punching render it particularly suitable for making suckers with handles of material so flexible that it is next to impossible to force the material .by an end-on thrust into even the soft, semi-plastic confection. Many such flexible materials, as disclosed in United States Patent No. 1,915,614, issued to Charles Parker onJune 27, 1933, are, nevertheless, sufficiently rigid to support the confection in an upright position for eating, and are very desirable for use as handles of suckers because, among other reasons, they do not endanger the consumer.

The preferred embodiment of the invention therefore contemplates novel means for supplying flexible handles to the pieces of confection, and in order to improve the type of handle, the novel handle supply means includes means for flexing a flexible handle material 19 to provide a loop wherein two ends of the flexible material are brought into proximity and inserted into a handle receiving recess in a piece of the con fection on the roll 34, as already described, the

intermediate portion of the flexible material forming a convenient and useful handle which facilitates handling the sucker.

To this end, the handle supply means is illustrated more particularly in Figs. 1 to 13, as comprising, means for obtaining predetermined lengths of theflexible material from a source of supply by measuring the material and cutting it into such lengths, means for looping these lengths, and means for inserting the ends of the loops into the handle receiving recesses in the pieces of the confection on the roll 34 before they are finally formed by the coaction of the rolls 34 and 12, the last mentioned means being adapted to strip the suckers from the 'rolls' 34 and 32 and to deposit them on the conveyor 18.

The means for providing the flexible material 19 in predetermined lengths-is shown in detail in Figs. 3 to 5, as comprising a pair of coacting, pulleys or grooved discs 8| at corresponding ends of shafts 82 journaled one above the other in the bracket N and having at their ends opposite the pulleys 8|, a pair of enmeshing gears'83. The grooves in the pulleys 8| are adapted to accommodate the flexible material 19 and are so arranged that rotation of the pulleys by rotating j the shafts 82 in the directions indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3, will advance the flexible material 19 to the left as viewed in said Fig. 3.

A spring urged pawl 84 is pivoted on a lever 85 fulcrumed on a shaft 86, which is journaled in the bracket N below the lower shaft 82 and which carries a ratchet 81 fixed on the shaft and oper- By means of the pawl and ratchet and the driving connections just described, the pulleys 8| may be intermittently rotated through predetermined arcs to feed predetermined lengths of the flexible material l9 therethrough.

For driving this intermittent feeder, the shaft 65is provided with a gear 9| adjacent the eccentrically grooved disc 64. This gear 9| is fixed on the shaft 65 and is rotated therewith from the main drive shaft by means of the beveled gears T and 66. A shaft 92 journaled at one end in the bracket F and at its other end in the bracket L has fixed thereon a gear 93 which is driven by the gear 9| through a pinion 94 on a stub shaft, 95 projecting from the bracket F,

The thus driven shaft 92 carries a bevel gear 96 fixed thereon to rotate therewith and engag ing a bevel gear 91 fixed on a shaft 98 journaled in the bracket M, whereby the shaft 98 is rotated. This shaft 98 drives a disc 99 fixed on the end thereof opposite'the bevel gear 91 and drivingly connected to the lever 85 hearing the pivoted pawl 84 by a link or arm I3l having a loose connection I32 at one end with the lever 85 and pivotally connected as at I33 at its other end to the disc.99 at a point radially of the shaft 98.

The flexible handle material 19 is thus intermittently advanced toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 3, in equal steps or lengths which, by properly arranging the pawl and ratchet and the driving and driven connections therewith, may be suitable handle lengths of the flexible material.

The flexible handle material is thus advanced through a guiding member I34 supported as at I35 by the bracket M and extending to adjacent the feed pulleys 8|.

From the guiding member I34 the flexible material'under the action of the pulleys 8I is advanced a full handle length to the left (see Fig. 3). Suitable aligned guides I36 and.- I 31 (see Fig.

1) spaced apart and spaced from the end of theguiding member I34 are provided for guiding this flexible material during. such advancement The guides I38 and I31 are supported in proper alignment and spaced relationship by a bracket I38 secured to the bracket M and having spaced arms I39 and MI carrying the guides I36 and I31, respectively.

Means are provided for severing the intermittentlyfed handle material into handle lengths. As shown in Figs. 3 to 5, a suitable severing means comprises a knife or blade I42 between the adjacent ends of the guiding member I34 and the guide I31, a lever I43 pivoted as at I44 on the bracket M and carrying the knife I42 spaced from the pivot I44, an arm I45 pivoted to the end of the lever I43 at a distance from the pivot, I44 greater than the distance between the pivot I44 and the knife I42, the arm I45 having its lower end bifurcated as at I46 to accommodate the shaft 98 between the furcations and having a cam follower or roller I41 fixed intermediate its ends, and a cam I48 carried on and rotatable with the shaft 98 and engaging the cam follower I41 for reciprocating the knife I42 in timed relation with the intermittent feeding of the handle material by the pulleys 8 I. A spring I49 secured to the bracket M and the arm I45 acting through the arm causes the cam follower I41 to yieldably engage the cam I48. The knife I42 operates adjacent the end of th guiding member I34 at the bracket M and is reciprocated after every advancement of the handie material for a handle length to the left of the guiding member whereby to cut the handle material into handle lengths.

As already mentioned, the preferred embodiment of the invention contemplates means for supplying looped handles. Accordingly, means are provided for timed operation with the pulleys 8| and the knife I42 for taking the handle lengths from the spaced guides I36 and I31. loan ing these handle lengths of the material 19, inserting the ends of each looped handle length into the handle receiving recess of a piece of confection before the rolls 34 and 12 finally form the confection, holding the loop during the final forming of the confection, and retaining this hold on the loop after the confection has been pressed about the ends of the handle material in the handle receiving recess to strip the sucker from the rolls 34 and 12 and then releasing the hold to drop the sucker through the aperture 11 on the conveyor 18.

Such handle preparing and feeding means are shown more particularly in Figs. 6 to 13.

The shaft 92 has fixed thereon for rotation therewith a pinion I5I adjacent the bracket L. This pinion enmeshes with a gear I52 for driving a shaft I53 journaled in the brackets K and L and carrying the gear I52. Rotating with the shaft I53, a pinion I54 fixed thereon enmeshes. with a gear I55 fixed on and driving a shaft I56 journaled in bearings K and L at a height above the base A substantially equal to that of the shaft 38 carrying the roll 34. This shaft I56 extends beyond its bearing in bracket K, and through a fixed plate or disc I51, suitably secured against rotation to the bracket K as indicated at I58 in Figs. 8 and 9.

The fixed plate is provided in its face opposite the bracket K with a cam groove or eccentric I59 having a dwell portion I6I, an abrupt drop or centripetal portion I62 leading from the dwell I6I into a gradual drop or centripetal portion I63 which terminates in a cut-out portion I64, and an abrupt rise or centrifugal portion I65 connecting the cut-out portion I64 back with the dwell portion I6I. A pair of spaced arcuate cams or guides I66 and I61, together with the cam groove I59 serve to control the action of the handle preparing and feeding means. The cam I66 is secured as at I68 to the plate I51 and the cam I61 is secured to the bracket 0.

Between the fixed plate and the arcuate cam I61, a disc I69 having a plurality of spaced radial slots I1I with a radial lug I12 between 'each two adjacent slots is fixed'on the shaft I56 to rota? e therewith. The disc I69 may be fixed to rotate with the shaft I 56 in any suitable manner, as. for example, by keying as at I13 a collar or hub I14 on theshaft and securing the disc to this collar or hub by bolts or other fastening means I15. The radial slots HI and the radial lugs I12 L. not extend to the periphery of the disc I69.

Mounted on the inner face of the disc I69 and radially outwardlyof the lugs I12 are a plurality of cam actuated means for looping the handle lengths and inserting the handles into the confection. Since these means are identical with each other only one will be described.

A hollow guide member I16, substantially trough shaped, has open ends and an open bottom, the back of the guide member I16 being provided with a slot I11. This hollow guide member has pivoted as at I18 to one of its side walls, a pair of opposed jaw members I19 provided with a spring I8I tending to close the jaw members. Each jaw member I19 is substantially L-shaped with an arm lying against a side of ,the hollow guide member and extending beyond the end of the hollow guide member, the other arm of each jaw member extending transversely of this hollow guide member. This other arm of each L-shaped jaw member I19 is provided with a pair of adjacent slots I82 complementary to in the hollow guide member I16 and has intermediate its ends atransverse arm or pin I86 extending through the bar and the slot I11 and the open bottom at opposite sides of the guide member I 16. A cam follower I81 is secured on one end of the arm I86 outside of the guide member I16. The bar I85 is reducedat itsforwardend I85 to provide cam or wedge surfaces I88 for opening the jaw members I 19 upon a forward movement of the bar I85. As shown in Fig. 12

the flexible handle material may be received across the reduced forward end I85 of'the bar I85 between a lug or projection I38 and the body or thick portion of the bar I85 when it has been moved to the jaw opening position between spaced guides I36 and I31. Preferably, the space between the lug or projection, I89 and the thick portion of the bar I 85 is 'providedwith an in- V clined surface I9I to cause the flexible material 19 at opposite sides of the bar I85 to be aligned with non-corresponding slots I82 in the jaw members I19.

The trough-shaped guide members I16-carrying the jaw members I19 and the slidable bars I95; are: secured to the inner face of the disc I69 radially outwardly of the lugs I12 by means of bolts I92 so that the arm or pin I86 of each slidable bar I 85 extends through a radial slot I1I inthe disc I69 and so that the cam follower I81-on the opposite end of each arm or pin I86 extends into the cam groove I59 in the fixed plate I51. bar I85 is movable radially of the disc I 69, the arms I86 engaging in the radial slots HI and the lugs I12 serving as guiding means for such movement. A retaining plate I93 is secured to each lug I12 by bolts I94 and is of greater width than the lug to facilitate the guiding action while the slidable bar I85 extends between adjacent lugs.

Thus each slidable bar may be reciprocated by the cam groove I59 and the cam follower I81 therein from a handle pick-up position I95 (Fig. 8) centripetally of the disc I69 to a handle gripping position I96 as the cam follower moves into the abrupt drop portion I62 of the cam groove. The jaw members are held in their open positions by reduced end portion I85 held in its outermost position while the cam follower is in the dwell portion I6 I. v

In this outermost position of the slidable bar I85, the reduced end portion I85 passes between the spaced guides I36 and I31 whereby the midportion of a handle length will be engaged by the inclined surface I9I inwardly of the lug I89. As the slidable bar I62 moves by the guides I36 and I31, the inclined surface I9I positions the handle material at one side of the reduced end portion I85 in line with one pair of corresponding slots I82 and that of the other side, in line with the other pair of corresponding slots I82 in the jaw members I19. When the abrupt drop I62 of the groove I59 retracts the slidable bar I85, the lug I89 engages the central portion of the handle length and moves it inwardly, thereby slightly flexing the handle material and gripping it in this position.

From this gripping position the slidable bar may be moved inwardly of the hollow guide member I16, between adjacent lugs I12, and still centripetally of the disc I69 to a handle flexing or looping position I91 as the cam follower rides in the portion I63 of the groove I59. This inward movement continues until the handle is looped substantially as illustrated in position I98, where the slidable bar extends back between adjacent guide lugs I12. In this position the jaw members I19 have closed and the jaw slots I82 have arranged the free ends 'of the handle material in adjacent parallelism.

At the end of the handle flexing or looping action of the cam follower and groove, the cam follower enters the cut-out portion I64 of the groove I59, whereupon the spaced arcuate cams or guides I66 and I61 engage the rolls I84 at the outer ends of the jaw members I19 to open the jaw slots I82 sufficiently to prevent binding about the ends of the handle material, but not enough to permit these ends to spread apart. The jaw members are retained in this slightly open position by the arcuate cams until the adjacent ends of the handle material between the jaw members reach the horizontal position shown at I99 in Fig. 8.

"At this horizontal position of the handle mate- In this position each slidablev rial, means generally indicated by the reference character 23I (Figs. 6 and '7) engages the pin or arm I86 projecting through the disc I69 in the radial slot HI and urges the slidable bar I85 forward centrifugally of the disc. In moving forward the slidable bar moves the looped handle end-on between the spaced arcuate cams I66 and I61 into the handle receiving recess formed in the confection by the plunger 49, the slightly open jaw members readily permitting such movement of the handle material.

- It will be understood that by virtue of the fact that the center lines of the roll 34 and the disc I69 are the same height above the base A and are above the center line of the third roll 12, the handle is inserted into the confection as it passes this upper center line position and before the third roll 12 begins to cooperate with the'roll 34 in pressing the confection about the handle to cause adherence therebetween.

As the disc I69 continues to rotate, the cam follower passes into the gradual rise or centrifugal portion I65 which gradually moves the slidable bar outwardly to the position shown at 232 in Fig. 8, where the confection has been finally formed by the rolls 34 and 12, and where the handle or the looped portion thereof is still engaging the forming lug I89 on the reduced end portion I85 of the slidable bar. Further rotation of the disc I69 exerts a force on the sucker through this connection with the looped handle the sucker drops on the conveyor through the aperture 11 in the base A.

The means 23I for engaging the pins or arm I86 to move the slidable bar I85 in a handle inserting direction is shown in Figs. 6 and 7 as comprising a lever 233 having a pivot 234 at its lower end on the bracket J and extending up above ,the center of the disc I69 at the side thereof opposite the fixed plate I51, an arm 235 having a pivot 236 on the lever 233 adjacent the center of the disc I69, and having a reduced end portion 231 providing a shoulder 238, a spring 239 yieldably holding the arm 235 against a stop pin 2 on the lever 233, and an actuating link 242 pivoted as at 243 to the upper end of the lever 233 and adapted to be reciprocated from the shaft 65 by means of a disc 244 fixed on the shaft 65 for rotation therewith and having a pivotal connection 245, spaced from its center of rotation, with the link 242.

The arm 235 is formed so that the reduced end portion 231 is positioned adjacent the outer face ofthe disc I69 and the shoulder 238 is adjacent the inner end of the radial slot "I. In this position the pins or arms I 86 on the slidable bar I85 will engage the reduced end portion 231 of the arm 235 just before the cam followers I81 following the came groove I59 reach the-cut-out portion I64 of the groove I59; The arm 235 will then be rotated about the pivot 236 by each pin or arm I86 until horizontal position I99 (Fig. 8) is reached, whereupon the arm 235 is moved forwardly by the link 242 and the disc 244 when they rock the lever 233 about the pivot 234.

In this forward movement of the arm, the shoulder 238 engages the pin or arm I86 and moves the slidable arm I85 in a handle inserting direction as already explained. Then as the link and eccentric disc drive reverse the movement of the lever 233 about the pivot 234, the spring 239 urges the reduced portion 231 against the pin or arm I86 until the gradual rise I85, the angularity of the arm 235 with reference to its pivot 236 and the reverse movement of the lever 233 have caused the pin or arm I88 to clear the free end or reduced portion 231 of the arm. The spring 239 then returns the arm 235 to a position against the stop 2 for engagement with the next succeeding pin or arm I85 to repeat the forcegoing operation. I

In operation, the confection handling means and. the handle supply means are driven, as described above, in such timed relation that as each piece P of the semi-plastic confection R is formed by the forming or moulding rolls 34 and 35, the punching means 48 is inserted through the complementary slots 4I into the piece of confectionto provide the handle receiving recess W therein, displacing some of the confection which is accommodated by the depressions or recesses 42 in the roll 35. The punch 49 remains in the piece of confection while it is passing between the rolls 34 and 35 to hold the piece of confection on the lower roll 34 and to strip it away from the upper roll 35. Then the punch 49 is withdrawn, leaving the piece of confection in substantially the desired shape with the handle receiving recess W therein. This preliminary forming and punching operation is disclosed more particularly in Figs. 23 to 25, inclusive.

As already mentioned, the preforming of the confection facilitates the operation of joining a handle thereto for providing acompleted sucker or lollipop. While, as already described, the preferred embodiment of the invention contemplates the provision of means for supplying the flexible looped handle to each piece of confection, it will be understood that the preforming and punching means may advantageously be employed in sucker machines for the manufacture of suckers having other types of handles, regardless of whether or not such other types of handles are made of flexible material. In order, however, to produce a safety sucker wherein the handle is suificiently rigid to hold up the confection while it is being eaten, but which at the same time is sufficiently flexible or pliable as to be substantially incapable of injuring the features of a consumer by an end-on thrust of the handle, the novel sucker machine of the invention comprises, as more particularly illustrated in Figs. 20 to 22, inclusive, the measuring rolls 8| which intermittently advance the flexible material 19 for a distance equal to suitable handle lengths in timed relation with the knife I42 which, cooperating with the guiding member I 34, cuts the flexible material 19 into handlelengths. Each hanile length, at the time it is severed from the flexible material between the rolls 8|, is positioned substantially horizontally across the path of a re-' duced end portion I of the cam actuated slidable bar I85 when it is in its outermost position.

As each slidable bar I85 in the outermost position rotates by the horizontal position, it engages the severed handle length intermediate its ends, the handle length taking the position shown in Fig. 20 along the inclined surface I9I between the lug I 89 and the body of the slidable'bar I85. In this position it will be observed that the handle material at opposite sides of the lug I 89 registers with non-corresponding jaw slots I82 in the 0pposed jaw members I19 From this position, where the slidable bars I85 pick up the handle lengths of the flexible material, each slidable bar, in being retracted, carries with it the central portion of the handle length which, at opposite sides of the lug I89, is guided by the non-corresponding jaw slots I82 during the closing movement of the opposed jaw members I89 under the action of the jaw springs urging the jaw members toward each other asthe wedge or cam surfaces at the reduced end of each slidable bar moves inwardly of the jaws.

As shown in Fig. 22, when the slidable bar I85 is in its innermost position, the handle length has one end between corresponding and complementary slots I82 in the opposed jaw members I19. Its other end is between the other pair of corresponding slots I82 and adjacent the first mentioned end. And its intermediate portion extends inwardly through the hollow, trough shaped guide member I16 and is looped around the lug I89 on'the reduced end portion of the slidable bar I85. When the handle length is in the position shown in Fig. 22, the adjacent ends are ready to be inserted into a piece of the confection to provide a handle therefor.

During the above described formation of the handle, the rolls 34 and 35 and the punch 49 are forming pieces of confection P with handle receiving recesses W therein. As each piece of the preformed, punched confection ispresented on the roll 34 opposite the handle formed as in Fig. 22, the slidable bar I85 is moved to the right, as viewed in Fig. 22, to the position shown in Fig. 26, the adjacent ends of the flexible handle slid-' ing through the complementary jaw slots I82, the slot 4| communicating'with the molding recess on the periphery of the roll 34, and into the handle receiving recess W previously formed in the piece of confection by the punch 49. The slidable bar retains its hold upon the handle until, as shown in Figs. 27 and 28, the preformed piece of confection P, with the ends of the handle in the handle receiving recess W carried by the roll 34, is finally formed between the rolls 34 and 12, This operation presses the piece of confection to the desired shape and causes the semi-plastic material to flow about the adjacent ends of the handle in the handle-receiving recess. The slidable bar I85 then moves to the position shown in Fig. 29, that is, its outermost position, to release the completed sucker, permitting it to drop by gravity from engagement behind the lug I89 into a suitable receiver or upon a suitable conveyor, as already described.

Thus it will be seen that the novel sucker machine permits the use of a handle material of such flexibility and of such formation that it facilitates the handling of a sucker by the consumer and minimizes the accident hazard to which more rigid handles are susceptible. The machine, moreover, is adapted to take the flexible material from a suitable source of supply such as a reel, measure it,"cut it into handle lengths, flex the handle lengths to provide looped handles, and to insert the endsof each looped handle into a preformed, punched piece of confection which is pressed about the ends of each handle and which,through this connection may be stripped from the confection forming means by the handle feeding or supply means.

While we have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of our invention, many modi-' flcations may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and we do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction Y claim as new and desire to secure by Letters.

Patent of the United States, is:

1. A sucker machine comprising means for preforming a semi-plastic confection, means for forming a handle receiving recess in the preformed confection, means for inserting a handle in the handle receiving recess, and means for conforming the semi-plastic confection about the handle in said handle receiving recess.

2. A sucker machine comprising three molding rolls for forming a confection into pieces of the desired size and shape, a said molding roll cooperating with a second said molding roll for preforming the confection into pieces of substantially the desired size and shape, punching means associated with said preforming rolls for providing a handle receiving recess in each piece of preformed confection, said punching means beciated with the last said means engaging each said handle for stripping each piece of the confection from said second and third rolls after it is formed thereby. v

3. In a sucker machine having handle supply means for supplying handles to pieces of confection to form suckers therewith, a preforming roll, a final forming roll, and a third roll cooperating with said preforming and final rolls for preforming a semi-plastic confection into pieces of substantially the desired size and shape, and for finally forming such preformed pieces to the desired size and shape, and means for forming a handle receiving recess in each preformed piece of confection before it is formed by said final forming roll and said third roll.

4. In a sucker machine having handle supply means for supplying handles to pieces of confection to form suckers therewith, a preforming roll, a final forming roll, and a third roll cooperating with said preforming and final rolls for preforming a semi-plastic confection into pieces of substantially the desired size and shape and for finally forming such preformed pieces to the desired size and shape, means adapted to be inserted into each piece of the preformed confection for forming a handle receiving recess in each preformed piece of ccnfection before it is formed by said final forming roll and said third roll, and means for retaining the last said means in each preformed piece of confection until it is stripped away from said preforming roll.

5. A sucker machine for making safety suckers, comprising confection handling means for preforming a semi-plastic confection into pieces of substantially the desired size and shape, and for forming a handle receiving recess in each said preformed piece of semi-plastic confection, means plastic confection, and means for forming each piece of the preformed semi-plastic material with the flexible handle extending in said handle receiving recess to the desired size and shape.

6. In a sucker machine adapted to provide a plurality of pieces of semi-plastic confection with 5 handle receiving recesses, feeding means for intermittently supplying handle lengths of a flexible handle material, means for severing the handle lengths from the flexible handle material as they are supplied by said feeding means, means for looping said handle lengths to bring the ends thereof into proximity with each other, and means for connecting said ends of each said looped handle length to a piece of the semi-plastic material in the handle receiving recess thereof.

\ 7. In a sucker machine adapted to provide a plurality of pieces of semi-plastic confection with handle receiving recesses, feeding means for intermittently supplying handle lengths of a flexible handle material, means for severing the handle lengths from the flexible handle material as they are supplied by said feeding means, means for looping said handle lengths to bring the ends thereof into proximity with each other, means for joining said ends of each said looped handle 2 length to a piece of the semi-plastic material in thehandle receiving recess of said piece of the semi-plastic material, and means engaging said handle lengths intermediate the ends thereof for removing 'the joined pieces of confection and looped handles from the machine.

8. In a sucker machine for preforming a semiplastic confection before embedding a portion of the handle therein, means for forming a handle receiving recess in the preformed confection, and a confection preforming roll having a molding recess therein provided with a. depression'for ac. commodating the confection caused to be displaced by said means for forming the handle receiving recess.

9. In a sucker machine for preforming'a semiplastic confection before embedding a portion of the handle therein, means for punching a handle receiving recess in the preformed confection, and a confection preforming roll having a molding recess therein and ,having another recess communicating with said molding recess for receiving the semi-plastic confection caused to be displaced by said means for punching the handle receiving recess in the confection.

10. In a sucker machine for embedding a portion of a handle in a semi-plastic confection,-a confection preforming roll having a plurality of forming recesses therein and a plurality of other recesses each communicating with a said forming recess, a punch successively reciprocable into and out of each said forming recess for forming a handle receiving recess in the confection therein, each said other recess being adapted to receive a portion of the confection from the said forming recess communicating therewith when said handle receiving recess is formed by said punch, meansfor inserting a portion of a handle in each said handle receiving recess, and form-s ing means for reforming the confection whereby each displaced portion of the confection originally received in said other recesses .is'formed with the body of .the confectionabout the portion of the handle in the handle receiving recess.

11. A sucker machine adapted to supply handles for the confection during the forming thereof, comprising a rotatable carrier roll having a plurality of confection forming recesses spaced about the periphery thereof and a plurality of r slots in one of the faces of said roll, each said slot communicating with a said recess, a rotatable, preforming roll tangent to said carrier roll and having a plurality of confection forming recesses spaced about the periphery thereof, and a plurality of slots in one of the faces of said roll, each said slot communicating with a said recess, said recesses and slots in said carrier and preforming rolls being registerable successively along the line of tangency between the said carrier and preforming rolls for preforming a semiplastic confection, a reciprocable punch for forming a handle receiving recess in the confection in each said forming recess, means for moving said punch into the confection in said recesses in said carrier and preforming rolls through said slots at the line of tangency between the said carrier and preforming rolls, punch rocking means for rocking said punch while in said confection to cause it to rotate with said carrier roll beyond the line of tangency between said carrier and preforming rolls whereby to cause the confection .to remain in said forming recesses in said carrier roll, means for withdrawing said punch from the confection in each said forming recess after it has passed the line of tangency between said rolls, means for inserting a handle in each said handle receiving recess through said slot in said carrier roll after said punch is withdrawn therefrom, and a rotatable forming roll tangent to said carrier roll and having slots and forming recesses corresponding to said slots and forming recesses in said carrier roll and registerable therewith at the line of tangency between said forming and carrier rolls for forming the confection in each forming recess in the carrier roll about the ban-- dle inserted therein by the last said means to cause the confection in each forming recess to adhere about a handle.

12. In combination in a sucker machine, means for preforming a semi-plastic confection to receive a handle, comprising punching means for forming handle receiving recesses in the semiplastic confection, and a pair of coacting rotatable rolls tangent to each other and provided with a plurality of forming recesses spaced about the periphery thereof, said recesses being successively registerable at the line of tangency of said rotatable rolls, each said recess in each said roll communicating with a slot, and each said forming recess in a said. coacting roll having a depression therein cooperating with said slot to permit the formation of a handle receiving recess in the confection by said punching. means as each pair of forming recesses coact in succession to preform a piece of the semi-plastic confection.

13. In a sucker machine of the type adapted to displace a quantity of a semi-plastic confection during a preforming operation whereby to provide a handle receiving recess in said confection, a preforming roll having a plurality of forming recesses spaced about the periphery thereof, a plurality of slots communicating with each said recess through a face of said roll, and a plurality of recesses, each communicating with a said forming recess to accommodate the confection caused to be d splaced therefrom during the preforming operation.

14. A sucker machine comprising molding rolls for preforming a batch of semi-plastic confection into a plurality of pieces, a punch operable in timed relation with said rolls for forming a handle receiving recess in each piece of confection, means for inserting a. handle in the handle receiving recess of each preformed piece of confection, and molding rolls for conforming the semi-plastic confection of each preformed piece about the handle in said handle receiving recess.

15. A sucker machine comprising three coacting molding rolls for forming a semi-plastic batch of confection into pieces of the desired size and shape, a said molding roll cooperating with a second said molding roll for preforming the confection into pieces of substantially the desired size and shape, the third said molding roll cooperating with the second said molding roll after each piece of confection is preformed to form such piece into the desired size and shape, punching means associated with said rolls for providing a handle receiving recess in each piece of preformed confection, said punching means being adapted to strip each piece of confection as it is preformed from the first said rollwhereby to cause the pieces of confection to follow the second said roll, and means for inserting a handle into the handle receiving recess of each piece of confection before the third roll in cooperation with the second roll forms it into the desired size and shape.

16. In combination in a sucker machine, handle supply means for supplying handles to pieces of confection to form suckers therewith, a preforming roll, a reforming roll, athird roll cooperating with saidpreforming and reforming rolls for preforming a semi-plastic confection into pieces of substantially the desired size and shape, and for reforming such preformed pieces to the desired size and shape, and means for forming a. handle receiving recess in each preformed piece of confection before it is formed bysaid reforming roll and said third roll.

1'7. In combination in a. sucker machine, handle supply means for supplying handles to pieces of confection to form suckers therewith, a. preforming roll, a reforming roll, a third roll cooperating with said preforming and reforming rolls for preforming a semi-plastic confection into pieces of substantially the desired size and shape and for-reforming such preformed pieces to the desired size and shape, means adapted to be inserted into each piece of the preformed confection for forming a handle receiving recess in each preformed piece of confection before it is formed by said reforming roll and said third roll, and means for retaining the last said means in each preformed piece of confection until it is stripped away from said preforming roll.

18. In a sucker machine for making safety suckers, the combination with confection handling means for preforming a semi-plastic confection into pieces of substantially the desired size and shape and for forming a handle receiving recess in each said preformed piece of semiplastic confection, of means for providing a plurality of handle lengths of flexible handle materi'al, means for inserting a portion of each said handle length into the handle receiving recess a flexible handle material a handle length at a.

time, means for severing the handle lengths from the flexible handle material as they are advanced by said feeding means, and means for looping said handle lengths to bring the ends thereof into proximity with each other, whereby to form sucker handles.

20. In a, sucker machine adapted to provide a plurality of pieces of semi-plastic confection with handle receiving recesses and to secure each piece to a handle, handle forming means comprising intermittent feeding means for intermittently advancing a flexible handle material a handle length at a, time, means for severing the flexible handle material into handle lengths as it is intermittently advanced by said feeding means, and means for arranging the ends of each handle length in adjacent parallelism whereby to adapt the adjacently arranged ends for embedding in a semi-plastic confection.

21. In a sucker machine, movable confection forming means having a plurality of handle receiving apertures therein, handle forming means, means for supplying handle material to said handle fornnng means, handle feeding means for feeding handles from said handle forming means to adjacent said confection forming means, means for inserting a portion of each handle into a said handle receiving aperture, and means for driving said confection forming meansand the handle inserting means in timed relationship.

22. In a, confection machine, a source of supply of handle material, means for severing a predetermined length of said handle material from the main body thereof, means for arranging the ends of said predetermined length of handle material in adjacent parallelism and for conforming the portion intermediate the ends of said predetermined length of handle material to a looplike configuration, means for embedding the ends of said handle material in a confection, and means for holding said ends in adjacent parallelism while they are being embedded in the confection.

23. In a confection machine, a source of supply of handle material, means for bringing normally spaced portions of the handle material into proximity with each other and for conforming a portion intermediate the normally spaced portions to a looplike configuration, and means for connecting the portions of the handle material arranged in proximity with each other to a confection.

24. In a confection machine, confection forming apparatus, means for feeding a flexible handle material, means cooperating with said feeding means for severing said handle material into handles for a confection, means for receiving and moving each severed handle to adjacent said confection forming apparatus, and means for projecting a portion of each said handle from the handle moving means into said confection forming apparatus for connection with a confection therein.

25. In a sucker machine, confection forming apparatus, means for dividing a flexible material into handle lengths, means for looping each handle length to form a loop handle for a confection, and means for inserting a portion of .the

-loop handle into said confection forming apparatus for connection with a confection therein. 26. In a sucker machine, confection forming apparatus having a handle receiving recess therein, means for looping a handle material to form a loop handle for a confection, and means for inserting a portion of the loop through said handle receiving recess into said confection forming apparatus.

27. A sucker machine, comprising confection.

handling means, handle forming means for forming an elongated handle material into a plurality of handles, means for feeding the handles from said handle forming means to said confection handling means, means for connecting the handles to the confection, and means for removing each handle and the confection connected therewith from the machine.

28. In a sucker machine including confection handling means having a plurality of confection receiving recesses, the combination of handle forming means forming an elongated handle material into a plurality of handles, handle feeding means for feeding each handle from said forming means to adjacent a said confection receiving recess, and means coacting with the last said means for moving a portion of each said handle into a said confection receiving recess.

29. In a sucker machine including confection handling means having a plurality of recesses for receiving quantities of a confection preparatory to connecting such quantities with handles;

the combination of means for flexing the handle material to provide loop handles having adjacent free ends, and means for feeding said free ends of the loop handle from the last said means partially into each said recess.

30. A sucker machine comprising candy handling means having a plurality of recesses for receiving quantities of unhardened candy preparatory to connecting each quantity of the unhardened candy to a handle, means for forming an elongated handle material into separate loop handles, and means for feeding a loop handle from the last said means partially into each said recess.

31. A sucker machine comprising candy handling meanshaving a recess for receiving an unhardened candy preparatory to connecting the unhardened candy to a handle, means for looping a handle material to form a loop handle, means for bringing a portion of the loop handle into said recess, and means for causing the candy to adhere about said portion of the loop handle in said recess.

32. In a sucker machine including candy handling means having a plurality of recesses for receiving quantities of an unhardened candy preparatory to connecting each quantity of the unhardened candy to a handle, handle forming means for forming an elongated handle material into a plurality of handles, handle feeding means, and means for driving the last two said means whereby formed handles are supplied to said candy handling means and a portion of each handle is inserted into a said recess.

33. In a machine for providing a confection with a handle, handle forming means for forming an elongated handle material into a plurality of handles, means for bringing'an unhardened confection and. a formed handle together in cooperative relationship, whereby the unhardened confection envelops a portion of the formed handle, and means for causing the confection to adhere about the enveloped portion of the formed handle.

34. The combination of means for causing an unhardened confection to envelop a portion of handle together, in cooperative relationship at the means for causing the confection to envelop a portion of the handle.

35. A sucker machine comprising means for causing quantities of an unhardened candy to envelop the end portions of elongated handles preparatory to the hardening of the quantities of candy in causing them to adhere to saidend portions, means for arranging both end portions of each elongated handle in proximity with each other whereby toform an intermediate portion of each handle to a looplike configuration, means for bringing the quantities of candy and the proximately arranged end portions of the handles together in cooperative relationship at JAMES A. DAVIS. CHARLES L. MOYER. 

